Slovak Peasant Revolt

Slovak Peasant Revolt in Hont County the first and the most
radical anti-feudal activity of Slovak national and revolutionary
movement in the spring of 1848. The revolt broke out spontaneously
under the influence of the revolutionary events in Pest and Vienna
due to the revolutionary agitation of the poet Janko Krai'. Krai'
spread the twelve Pest articles and encouraged the local
inhabitants in the spirit of his vision of "pure democracy", new
freedom, civil and human equality and the brotherhood of the
nations. The revolt was precipitated by the March Laws, which only
reassured the abolition of the serfs' manorial duties while
neglecting the fact the villages of middle Hont areas were
inhabited mostly by curial serfs and navvy workers whose duties
were not eliminated by these laws. Disappointment increased when
three officials of the county delivered their speech on March 27 at
a meeting in the village Dolné Pribelovce. They officially
announced to the people that land would not be distributed and the
most of them would continue to function in the status of serfs.
Moreover, the peasants were stirred by the haughty behavior of
unpopular officials, known to be advocates of preservation of
serfdom. In response to the speech the local teacher Jan Rotarides
delivered the twelve Pest articles and read revolutionary verses of
his friend Janko Krai'. He stressed that passing new laws was more
an reflection of the noblemen's fears than a reflection of their
desire to satisfy the people. He called on all peasants to refuse
to fulfill their duties as serfs. In the name of all gathered he
read the demands that required abolition of serfdom, ending
vineyard tithes, and the distribution of forests and pastures to
the peasants without compensation. Moreover they demanded cessation
of Magyarization in the Protestant church and in the schools. The
noblemen were called on to speak Slovak and Slovak should be taught
in primary schools. The indignation of the gathering finally burst
into open revolt led by Jan Rotarides and Janko Krai'. The center
of revolt was in the village of Dolné Prˇbelovce, and it
spread to the neighboring five villages. Peasants were armed with
scythes, pitchforks and flails. They burned manorial records, while
threatening landlords with bells and fires. Before this riot could
receive a more organized form and a more precise program to spread
to further areas and villages, it was suppressed by the military,
including the dragoon regiment of emperor Francis Joseph. Ten of
the organizers and participants in the "communistic" mutiny were
arrested. Seven peasants and the Protestant priest Dobrek were set
free in August, while J. Krai' and J.Rotarides continued to be
imprisoned in shackles in the town of Cahy and later in Buden. J.
Krai' was released by the emperor's soldiers in January 1849, but
Rotarides remained in prison until October 1849 when he was set
free in a seriously damaged physical and mental condition. The
revolt tried to solve basic social, political and national
problems by radical means. The revolt, although without contacts
with Slovak patriots in other regions, strengthened their self
consciousness and enthusiasm.
Dusan Skvarna